Page 21 of Your Play to Call
“But I can keep a secret when it counts. I had one of my assistants take my car for the night. They pulled out of the parking garage first, and when I knew all the paps followed them, I got into my new car. The one no one has seen me in. The one I bought yesterday.” The words fall out too fast in a panic.
Willow pauses and nods her head up and down in understanding.
“Are you serious? There’s no way you bought a new car for this,” she asks with a small giggle, light bouncing from her eyes.
“One hundred percent. I knew it was important to you. So, it was important to me. It was time for an upgrade anyways.” The last part is complete bullshit, but she doesn’t know that.
The dealership was thrilled to get me in a car, especially because I had to take what they had. It was a done deal before Zack and I walked in the door. I usually prefer white cars but the only Tesla they had, ready to go, was black. Nothing like a little spontaneity paired with a substantial signing bonus from the Cosmos.
“Wow. Thank you.” She fidgets her hands in her lap. “Let’s get back to the zero-dating history. I feel like there’s more to this...” She leaves the door open. Not sure if this is approved for first date territory but we’re jumping right in.
She’s right. And if I want this to go anywhere, I need to give her something.
“It’s always been football. When it wasn’t football, it was me and my mom. Making it to the NFL wasn’t supposed to happen for someone like me. But I did it and I want to show up and be my best every day.”
“What do you mean someone like you?” she asks.
There it is.
“I wasn’t a high school phenom. I barely had any scholarship offers. Graduating from college was always part of my plan because I was prepared to have to give up football. There was nothing about me that screamed success. And then, good things happened and continued to happen. I knew I had to pour myself into this if I wanted to do it.”
“Your parents must be proud.” She smiles and it makes me smile right back.
“My mom is proud. My dad isn’t in the picture.”
“Oh, Tripp. I’m sorry.” She reaches her hand over and grabs mine that’s resting on the table near my wine glass. Her touch is warm.
“Don’t be. He left one day and never came back. That’s on him. He tried to get a hold of me for Super Bowl tickets, and that’s the extent of our relationship.”
“His loss,” she says with a snap.
“That’s what my mom always told me.”
We’re both leaning forward on the table. Willow holds my hand and rubs my palm with her thumb. It’s like we’re magnets, and I want to pull her into my chest across the table. Hold her to me.
Before I have another second to think about it, the door opens to the stairwell and our server heads to the table with a tray full of food.
Chapter 15
Willow
There’s nothing quite likewaiting for something to go wrong. But nothing comes. Being with Tripp is easy. Easy in the way that I want to be closer, want to touch him. I don’t think I’m the only one when I think about all the errant grazes and excuses to touch.
I’m thankful the cold is hiding my flushed cheeks.
While I’m laughing at something Tripp said, our server drops off a piece of tiramisu.
“This one’s on us.” He claps his hands and rubs them together before putting one on Tripp’s shoulder. “Tripp, so good to see you. Thanks for swinging by.”
Tripp’s smile is familiar and warm, our server matches it with his own—a smile only friends would share.
I take one bite of the tiramisu, fall back in my chair, and groan. It’s heavenly.
“Why do none of my friends work at an Italian spot like this? Amazing.”
“I went to college with the owner’s son.” Tripp pulls up the sleeves of his shirt, his forearms strong and defined. Muscles move and flex as he reaches across the table for a bite of dessert. I can’t help but think of those arms around my body.
“He walked on at our college team and probably could’ve gone to the NFL, but he wanted to take care of this place,” Tripp continues as if he didn’t show me some of the most delicious arm-candy I’veencountered.